Press Release

Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda, the two-time World Series-winning manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the manager of the Gold Medal-winning United States Team in the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, has been named an Ambassador at Large for the inaugural World Baseball Classic, World Baseball Classic Inc. announced today.

In his capacity as an Ambassador for the World Baseball Classic, Lasorda will serve as a spokesman to increase awareness of the tournament and will travel to participating countries and territories in an effort to help promote the event and grow the game of baseball internationally.

"Tommy Lasorda is a baseball icon and is the perfect person to serve as Ambassador for the World Baseball Classic," said Major League Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "Tommy has assembled one of the most distinguished careers of anyone in the game, and his experiences in both Major League Baseball and international play will be great assets to the tournament."

"Who better than Tommy for this role in the inaugural Classic?" said MLBPA Executive Director Donald M. Fehr. "Tommy is as loved around the world as much as baseball is and we're simply delighted he will be bringing his enthusiasm and charm to this important aspect of the tournament."

Lasorda pitched in the Major Leagues with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1954-55) and the Kansas City Athletics (1956) before going on to a decorated career in the Dodgers organization. He managed Los Angeles to two World Championships (1981 and 1988) and eight division titles from 1976-1996. After being elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997, he led Team USA to its first Gold Medal in Olympic play in 2000. He currently serves the Dodgers as Special Advisor to the Chairman.